Safety pin



Dec. 21, 1948. `M E EDWARDS 2,456,820

- SAFETY PI-N Filed Jemv l2, 1946 v INVENTOR. /W E. fol/VA Q05.

A TTOQNEV.

Patented Dec. 21, 1948 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE l I. i l. Y 2,456,820

Y SAFETY PIN Masena E. Edwards, Denver, Colo.

Application January 12, 1946, Serial No. `640,761

4 Claims. Y 1 This invention relates vto improvements in safety pins. f

Ordinary safety pins are usedlargely for fastening infants clothing and are admirably adapted for thispurpose. `Safety pins, when open, have their pointed ends exposed and it has happended that infants have swallowed such open pins, with very serious results. Because the point of an open pin is in position to penetrate the mucous membrane of the throat, stomach and/or intestines, it is difiicult to remove and will not pass through the intestinal tract.

It is the principal object of this invention to produce a safety pin of such construction that the sharp point of the pin will, at all times, be practically covered, thereby eliminating the danger of possible injury to the hands and fingers while handling it and' also eliminating, toa

' great extent,'the danger attending the swallowing of such a pin while it is in, so-called, open position.

Another object is to produce a safety pin of such construction that the pointed end can be moved from sheltered or protected position to open position by exerting pressure -on certain parts thereof.

A further object is to provide a pin that shall be-latched in such a way that forces tending to open it will be resisted.

Another object is to produce a pin of such construction that the pointed end will, at all times, be biased to a protected position and in which the pointed end can be moved to fully open position without subjecting the material to strains that result in a permanent set.

The above and any other objects that may become apparent as this description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and an arrangement of parts that Will now be described in detail and for thispurpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in Vwhich the invention has been shown inits preferred form, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing one'form of the invention;

Figure 2 is an edge View of the pin, looking upwardly in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3 3, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a'section taken on line 4 4, Figshown in Figure 1 andshows the position of the 2 pointed leg, when in open position, by broken lines;

Figure 7 is a section taken on line 1 1, Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 8 8, Figure 6.

The safety pin consists of an elongated frame formedfrom a single piece of spring wire. The frame has a leg to the free end of which the U-shaped keeper II is attached. The other leg of the frame has been designated by reference numeral I2 and is pointed as indicated at I3, in Figure 2. The wire from which the frame is constructed is bent at its middle into a loop I4. Keeper I I is secured to the free end of leg I0, the latter being preferably curved so as to hold the keeper rmly against relative rotary movement thereon. The side of the keeper to the bottom in Figure 1 has been designated by reference numeral I5 and has two spaced parallel walls I6 and I I as shown more particularly in Figure 3. Extending downwardly from the side of the keeper secured to leg I0 is a tongue I8 that projects a short distance into the space between walls I6 and I'I. The space between walls I6 and I1 forms a groove I9 in which the pointed end I2 is positionedjwhen the pin is closed. Walls I6 and I'I have inwardly extending projections 20 which serve to frictionally latch the pointed end of leg I2 in position when the pin is closed. Side I5 of the keeper is provided on its outer surface with-a longitudinally extending groove 2I for the reception of the pointed end I3, when the pin is in open position. rThe legs I 0 and I2 are biased towards each other and therefore when the pin is in open position, point I3 will normally be positioned in groove 2|, as shown in Figure 3, whereby its point will be protected so that if the pin should be accidentally swallowed by a child, point I3 would not be in position to penetrate any of the mucous surfaces of the digestive tract. In addition to the two grooves I9 and 2|, the keeper is provided with outwardly extending flanges 22 that also serve as guards for the point I3 in case the latter should not be positioned in groove 2|, but be on the outside of either one of w-alls I Bor I`1.

Since leg I2 is biased towards leg I0, it is eviydent that the safety pin will not, by itself, move to the open or dotted position shown in Figure 1 and unless means is provided to effect an outward movement, the pin would be diiiicult to 'insertinto apiece of cloth by the use of one hand alone'. Forthe purposer of spreading the 41,1res1 ,2and3. It will nowbe apparent that' the pin can be neeuo'n with 'the drawings, it the safety p-in that forms the subject of this linvention is provided with several safety features 3 legs so as to bring leg I2 to the dotted line position, a special spreading means has been provided which will now be described.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 4 and 5, it will be seen that loop I4 is formed on a semi-circle to the diameter 23, from point 23 to point 2li the wire is straight, and from point 24 to point 25 the wires extend diagonally and cross each other as clearly shown in Figure 5. A frame comprising a piece of "spring metal such as spring brass or bronze is secured to the parts in the following manner. one side 26 extending diagonally or parallelnto the part 2li, 25 of leg I0 and is secured tothe frame at points 21 and 23 by havl'll'poltons thereof bent around the A tongue 2 3 is also curved around that portion "of lgl that extends diagonally between points 2 4- and 2 5 The frame has a side 33 that curves upwardly and thence inwardly fasshQWnin Figure 4. The

"other end ofthe frame terminates in a 'flexible member 3 I whose endispositioned insidejofl the curved end of part 33, terminating at point, 32 .Part 2S hasatonsuess bent upwardly in' the manner shown in Fi'gureL and this forms'a "stop for thediagonalportion 24, 2570i leg I2/and in addition formsja guidefor the cam`v 34; It will be Vobserved that camjfl hasan inclined `side 35 thatis normally in engagement kwith the "diagonal part of leg I2 as showridn Figure 7. Whenever side 3l is pressed 'inwardly, the inclined cam surface 35 will move the diagonal'part of leg I2 downwardly, Whenviewed'as in "li'gures ,4, and 7', therebymov'ing the leg "I2 to The frame has 'i the dotted linepositionshown in Figure v1. When outulgirdlfyf, thereby permitting'-leg` I2 f to move inwardly tothe full line position lshown in Figmanipulated by one hand because when itis to beinserted into aV garmentipressure isfapplied v tothe framejurging partj3'l With its camStfin- Wardlyjin va directiontran'sver'se to Vthelplanev of theframe, thereby opening the pin. `Whe`n prsvsure is removed the parts return tothe full line position shown` in Figurel.

After the pin has been inserted intona vgar- 'i ment, such as a childs diapendthebpointedlend 'of leg I2 is moved into the groove I9 to a point belowV the inwardly fextendingprjections into the position shown inliigures 6 rand 8.

From Figure 8 it will be observed 'thatthe pointed end I3 of leg I2 has a'porton 436 of decreased diameter sothat after lit is vin the position shown in Figure 8, any relative longitudinal movement of leg I2 with respect to the keeper will bek resisted.

such outwardly movement iseiected by aforce,l

Yapplied directlyto the leg, the bending strains will be absorbed by the loop I4 as the wire moves away from the cam surface 35.

From the above description, taken on conand a normal operating means. Dueto the inward bias of leg I 2` with respect tothekeeper, it willnormally assume a position eitherljke.

will be evident ,that

'pin by the use 'of one handmone, which is of considerable importance in many cases.k

Due to the interlocking action between the inwardly extending projection 20 and the pointed end of leg I2, the force required to open the pin willbeggreater than if such interlock were not present. The usual safety pin, when subjected to 'a longitudinal stretching force permits the point of the movable leg to pull out of the shield,

normal Abas'iivil'l S whereas in the present construction this is resisted by the means described. e

Attention is here directed toa feature'` of the construction that is of great importance. It has beenlexplained above that leg I2 is biased towards lfegffID for the purpose of automatically bringing 'the point'int'o groove 2 I"or intoa positionwhe're the point will be guarded by flanges 22. Tongue 3 3`s'erves as a 'stopand is 'so positioned Ath'atthe diagonal portion of leg IZQWilIfengagelthe' 'edge o'ftongue 33 whenev'er the free end is Vmoved inwardlyto bring it intoposition'to enter groove I9. As soonasthe diagonal portion 'cornes into engagement with the Vedge of tongue 33,*any further .movement wm bend'ieg l2 about 'that ipomtjas aforeru'm wrthtne result that the free end willV move into and towards' thel bottom of groove .2 I It willfnow Vbe Aayglparentthatthe ferve topositionpoint I3 "ei`th`er in `groov'e 2`I or adjacentthe ridges 22, and that after the leg has been bent so as t'o enter groove I9, itwill tend to move outwardly towardsfthe bottom of this groove. The inward .projections o resist'relative'longitudinal movement vof legland the keeper, as above eirplained.

Whs'sl slsmss Ilsils;v

1. A safety pin comprising, an Velongated frame, .formed from, a ,snglspsss 0f resilient .Wire .the tireless 'being ssilesstsd by sslsssi one complete loop, the legscrossingeach `other adjacentvthe loop oneend terminating.. in a shsrvrsinssnd the. other fin @substantially passasse. ,ksepsrf the. lees being' biased, sswsrds sehpihsris nsrmsllmslsihe.pointed ses ,in ngafgemntE/th 1.519.@ Querllfacthe keeper' the laster .hsves.ssspress,ed weflssmfsfr .theirs- ,sssion of the esistesse@ the keeper hsring s groove on its inside 4for fthe reception ofthe psintsdvsndwhse ,the P1111 .is in Closed, 'psisn sed. means ,ss'mprisins 'a 'Csm attached if@ i'hs fra e adjacent the loop for vengag'enierit:'with the leg having the pointed `'end and vIrio'vable tra sversely offthelframe, formoving the `pointed leg to open -position. 2- A. safety. pin Comprising., if ssmbilsiin an elongated frame of resilien t y1 i r e formed at -one ,end :inta s lgoathswirss grossing @dissent vthe loop and terminating in two legs lone rof which isA pointed Aand thejother yof which islcurved towards the pointed end, a horseshoe shaped .keepsrsessrsdto thesurved end, .the sidsef. the

that shown in Figure 2, or against the one side 'keeper facing the curved leg having a groove .its inner. surface-end -snsthsr Qn, its quier surface, the pointed leg being biased to no Inally 4assume smsitisgie wlllclithe poles is .positioned .meester .ersoraglearisssmprsnggsiop secured to the frame adjacent the loop, in position to be engaged by a portion of the pointed leg to limit its inward movement in response to the biasing force, and means comprising a cam positioned adjacent the stop and movable transversely of the frame for engagement with the pointed leg to move the same to open position in opposition to the biasing force.

3. A safety pin comprising, in combination, an elongated frame of resilient wire, bent intermediate its ends to form a loop, the wires adjacent the loop crossing and terminating in substantially straight legs, the end of one leg being pointed and the other curved towards the pointed end, a horseshoe shaped keeper secured to the curved end, the side of the keeper near the pointed end having a groove facing the curved end and another groove on the outer surface, the pointed leg being biased towards the curved leg to normally seek a position with its point in the outside groove, a stop carried by the frame adjacent the loop in position to engage a portion of the wire forming the pointed end to limit its inward movement in response to the biasing force, and a cam mounted on the frame, adjacent 6 the loop, for movement transverse to the plane of the frame, for engaging the wire forming the pointed leg to move the pointed leg towards open position in opposition to the inwardly acting biasing force.

4. A safety pin in accordance with 3 in which the inwardly facing grooves have opposed inwardly extending projections and in which the pointed end is of greater diameter than the distance between the projections to form an interlock resisting force tending to move the keeper relative to the pointed leg.

MASENA E. EDWARDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 842,600 Willis Jan. 29, 1907 2,006,923 Jones July 2, 1935 2,093,630 Bowker Sept. 21, 1937 2,145,313 Morley Jan. 21, 1939 

